<p>Root systems play a critical role in controlling soil detachment during rill erosion, yet existing evidence remains fragmented and methodologically heterogeneous. This study presents an exploratory synthesis of experimental research on the influence of root traits and soil properties on rill detachment capacity. Based on a limited and heterogeneous body of literature, the review aims to identify dominant trends, methodological approaches, and knowledge gaps rather than establish universal mechanistic relationships. The literature was systematically screened based on predefined inclusion criteria, and reported relationships between root characteristics, soil physical properties, and detachment capacity were qualitatively and semi-quantitatively analyzed. The results indicate that root system characteristics, particularly root mass density and root length density, are generally associated with reduced soil detachment capacity, although the magnitude and direction of these effects vary substantially depending on soil texture, hydraulic conditions, and experimental scale. The synthesis further reveals considerable methodological diversity and data limitations, which constrain the generalization of existing findings. Overall, this review highlights the context-dependent nature of root–soil–hydraulic interactions and identifies key knowledge gaps that require more standardized experimental designs and integrative analytical approaches. The proposed synthesis provides a conceptual basis for future research aimed at improving the understanding and modelling of vegetation effects on rill erosion processes. Importantly, these insights reveal a critical research gap, despite extensive studies in forests and grasslands, paddy field soils remain largely unexplored in this context.</p>